


In Too Deep

by Shenanigumi (AlleyCatSunflower)



Category: Hakuouki, 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Drama, Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-12 02:08:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18436841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlleyCatSunflower/pseuds/Shenanigumi
Summary: Chizuru almost tripped, shock and sudden joy driving all lingering horror momentarily from her mind. After discovering Matsumoto’s absence, she had lost all hope of finding a lead so soon. "You know Father?!""A better question would be—do *you* know your father?”In which a mysterious stranger rescues Chizuru from her equally mysterious assailants, but it isn't the stranger you'd expect. A very mild crossover, Hakuōki-centric in both setting/timeframe and characters; the only reasons Castlevania is involved are Alucard and vampire lore. I honestly don't know to what extent I'll be continuing this and have only a vague idea of where it's going if I do, so read this introductory snippet at your own risk.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Written as an experiment because I was on a Castlevania kick, vampire blood is an ingredient in the Water of Life, and it’s canon that my boy Alucard has a Japanese alter ego for… some reason, that’s why. (Also because, in the Japanese version of the animation, he’s voiced by Miki Shin’ichiro. I couldn’t pass that up.)

It all happened so fast.

One moment Chizuru was fleeing from some ronin in pursuit. The next, they and their killers were all dead. She’d barely had time to take in the ronin’s screams of terror and the monsters’ gleeful cackling before they’d been cut off, quite literally, and now there was only silence.

Except in her mind. Cries of abject terror and twisted joy still echoed in Chizuru's imagination, mingling together in unbearable cacophony. What  _were_  those creatures? They had looked almost human, but their actions had been worse than beasts. Besides that, their hair had been white like their gleaming blades, their eyes red like spurts of blood.

Reminding herself at last to breathe, Chizuru looked around to realize she had sunk to her knees at some point. And then her eyes finally landed on her savior—not the small army she half expected, to have dispatched multiple bloodthirsty murderers with such ruthless efficiency, but rather a single man.

Though he had crouched down to examine the corpses, Chizuru could tell from his proportions that he was very tall. His kimono was black, its subtle pattern in what might have been red and gold. His skin was paler even than Chizuru’s in the full moonlight, and his hair was black and somewhat wavy, worn loose and hanging some way down his back. Besides that, he wore only one sword, its scabbard at his side.

Chizuru had never seen anything like it. The hilt was shaped differently, and the blade was entirely straight, tapering to a fine and lethal point. Both its edges were sharp and glinting, just like the man’s dark eyes. “Shinsengumi,” he muttered, his voice quiet and husky and foreboding, and glanced up at Chizuru. “Are you unharmed?”

But Chizuru could say nothing. She could only stare at her rescuer. Now that the man was facing her fully, she could see that his features were almost ethereally handsome, yet also cold and somehow foreign. She couldn’t trace the source of such an impression, however, and upon meeting his eyes, she lost her train of thought entirely.

After a brief pause, the man gave a little nod as if to let Chizuru know that he understood, and then straightened up with a sigh. “You’re carrying a sword, but you don’t seem prepared to use it. Are you a civilian?”

There was little point in lying to such a perceptive man. “Y-yes. But I do know a little self-defense.”

“Self-defense is far from adequate in times like these,” said the man. His tone could easily have been dismissive, but instead, it was matter-of-fact. He knew he spoke the truth, however bluntly. “Tell me, what is a child doing on the streets at this hour? You should be at home.”

Even though he did not sound particularly accusatory, something about his tone still stung. Chizuru had to remind herself that, given her short stature and high voice, she must have appeared very childlike indeed. “I was… running from those ronin. They were going to take my kodachi.”

“Why didn’t you just hand it over? Men like them would have killed you for it without a second thought.” The man glanced down at their mutilated bodies, almost as an afterthought. “But then, I suppose they reaped what they sowed.”

Chizuru swallowed, tearing her eyes from the gory scene before her, and forced herself to focus on answering the man’s question. “I-it’s a family heirloom.”

She half expected the man to ridicule her for prizing a possession more highly than her life. Instead, his expression clouded at her mention of family, and he said only, “I see.”

After a breathless pause, Chizuru dared to ask a question. “What were those… things?” It seemed almost wrong to ask  _what_ they were, given their humanoid shape, but they had behaved too much like monsters for her to ask  _who_.

“Abominations,” said the man, approaching Chizuru at a slow and measured pace—undoubtedly intended to assure her of his good intentions—and held out his hand. “Now, I think it’s time for all good little girls to go to bed. I’ll escort you home.”

Chizuru’s heart practically stopped, and she could not bring herself to accept the man’s hand. “L-little girls?” she asked, pushing herself shakily to her feet, and reluctantly hurried after the man as he led the way back to the main street. “I’m…”

“If your lying skills are comparable to your acting skills, you will only embarrass yourself by trying to finish that sentence,” said the man, cutting her off. “Your disguise is enough to deter most would-be assailants, but only as long as they don’t look too closely. And I have always been more observant than most.”

There was that peculiar tone again. Not quite arrogant, but perhaps more certain than he should be. Unfortunately, the man was also _right_ , so Chizuru couldn’t even think of pointing it out. She could only say, "Oh."

“Now, _young lady_ , where are we going?”

Swallowing what remained of her pride, Chizuru looked up and down the street. “I—I don’t know. I haven’t found a place to stay yet.”

The man’s expression didn’t change, but Chizuru couldn’t help but think he was taken aback. “Then why are you in Kyoto?” he asked, and started walking at a fairly brisk pace. (Chizuru supposed, with calm that surprised herself, it was inadvisable to linger too near the scene of a murder.)

“I’m looking for my father,” said Chizuru, matching the man’s pace only with difficulty. “He’s a doctor from Edo, working for the shogunate. He sent letters almost every day, but a month ago, they just… stopped.”

The man narrowed his eyes, as much in suspicion as contemplation, but Chizuru thought he might have slowed his pace slightly to accommodate her. “For what purpose did the shogunate employ him?”

“W-well, Father was educated in the West,” said Chizuru uncertainly, looking up at the man. There was an edge to his voice, now; did he know him? Or at least what had become of him? “I’m sure he knows a lot of things the shogunate might find useful. And he  _is_  fairly well-known in Edo.”

“What is his name?”

“Yukimura Kodo.”

An indecipherable expression flitted across the man’s face. It might have been resignation. “So he has a daughter.”

Chizuru almost tripped, shock and sudden joy driving all lingering horror momentarily from her mind. After discovering Matsumoto’s absence, she had lost all hope of finding a lead so soon. “You know Father?!”

“A better question would be—do  _you_ know your father?”

It took a moment for his words to register in Chizuru’s mind, and even then, she did not understand their meaning. But before she could so much as ask for clarification, the man paused abruptly and glanced backward. Chizuru held her breath and listened, but heard nothing except her pounding heart.

It seemed that the man, however, had recognized something else amid the silence of the night. As if arriving at some sort of decision, he inclined his head and met Chizuru’s eyes with the intensity of a burning star. “Do you trust me, Yukimura?”

Chizuru took a deep breath. Given that he had saved her life, and probably had some information about her father, she had little choice. “Y-yes.”

“Good, because I know a place you can stay.” Even as he spoke, the man lengthened his stride and launched into an almost unnaturally fast pace.

“Where are we going?” asked Chizuru, jogging after him as quickly as her unsteady legs would carry her.

“Yase,” said the man, neither slowing down nor sounding as though he was exerting himself at all. “A village on the outskirts of the city.”

They did not speak again for several minutes. Chizuru knew there must be more to say, but had to focus all her attention on keeping up. They ducked along several side streets as though to shake off pursuers, and though Chizuru had not noticed anyone following them, she hardly dared speak.

Until, after several moments passed, she realized she had forgotten something incredibly important. “If I might ask… who are you?”

The man glanced over his shoulder, and Chizuru’s heart skipped a beat at his expression. Something in his countenance seemed almost regretful that she had asked, but she could not take back her words now. She could only accept the ones he offered in exchange: “You may call me Arikado Genya.”


	2. A Meeting of Demons

Chizuru didn't remember blacking out, but by the time her eyes fluttered open, there was enough light to see that she lay beneath an unfamiliar ceiling.

Stirring, she found herself resting in an extremely comfortable bed, more luxurious than any she had lain on before. Her head ached, and her thoughts were unfocused, but she was alive and, from the looks of things, well taken care of.

"Forgive me," said a voice, half-familiar, and Chizuru turned her head to find that man seated beside her. Arikado? Oddly, he looked the same in the dull light of dawn as in the bright moonlight, as though he carried a sliver of the night with him. "I didn't expect you to remain unconscious for so long. But then, it's understandable that you'd be exhausted after yesterday's… happenings."

The memory of too much blood and inhuman shrieking came rushing back to Chizuru, and she swallowed dryly, suddenly dizzy. "A-Arikado-san," she managed, pushing herself upright with trembling arms. "Where are we?"

"Yase," said Arikado promptly.

Chizuru nodded gingerly. He _had_ mentioned that he'd been escorting her to a village by that name. "When did I…" The last thing she recalled was running through a dark forest. It had been beyond her as to how Arikado had been able to navigate it, given that the moon had been blotted out by leaves and clouds.

Arikado let out a short breath. "I apologize, but I felt it was best to knock you out before we reached this place. Your ignorance of the situation could have made our entrance needlessly difficult."

Chizuru could only blink, the reality of her situation washing over her in waves of something like nausea. Ever since Arikado rescued her, he had scarcely let go of her hand, and even permitted her to rest now and again once they'd gotten out of the city. At the time, Chizuru had been grateful and excited to hear any news of her father. Now, she understood that his accommodations had been as much to ensure that she did not run away as to support her.

"Wh-what are you going to do with me?" stammered Chizuru. Her masculine clothes were still in place from last night, but he _had_  already noticed that she was female. Besides that, he was strong enough that even at her full strength, she had little hope of fending him off. It was true that he seemed to have little interest in such things, from the aloof way he looked at her, but looks could be deceiving, and last night's events had reminded her of exactly how frail she was.

Arikado's expression softened slightly, but he did not try to comfort her. "That remains to be seen," he said instead, getting to his feet. As he paced over to the nearest door, Chizuru took a moment to assess her surroundings. The room was large, but had only a couple doors, and Arikado now stood before one of them. If she could just take her kodachi from the sword rack on the opposite end of the room and get to the other door…

"Please tell the princess that her other guest has awakened," announced Arikado, and Chizuru—already throwing her covers aside—realized too late that there must be someone on the other side of the door, and that it might be the same on the other side too. They were probably only servants, if Arikado had mentioned a princess, but she had no idea whether they were armed.

Arikado turned back, cool eyes scanning Chizuru's position, and her thoughts froze. "Had you intended to run away, Yukimura?" he asked, crossing his arms. "Given your behavior last night, I assumed you were braver than that. But I suppose you are still young enough that ghosts frighten you."

Chizuru eyed Arikado mistrustfully. "Were those things ghosts?"

"No," said Arikado, smiling faintly. It was the first time his expression had changed since Chizuru had met him, and she found herself disarmed by his apparent humor in the split second before she felt chilled to the core: "I was referring to myself."

"Y-you're not a…" began Chizuru, shifting uncertainly in place. Arikado was a dangerous man, and anyone who claimed to be a ghost—even in jest—might be less than fully sane. More importantly, even though he didn't stand directly in her way, he was still close enough to stop her if she tried to make a break for her sword.

Although Chizuru had rarely been more uncomfortable in her life, Arikado seemed entirely at ease. "Whether you stay or go is up to you, but at least have the decency to meet your benefactress first," he said, slipping his hands into his sleeves. "She arranged this room for you on very short notice. Which, I might add, is more than she agreed to do for me."

Chizuru hesitated, but then nodded, getting to her feet somewhat unsteadily. "If I'm here to meet the princess, then what are you doing here?"

"I requested to watch you for the night," said Arikado. "The good people of Yase don't trust me, either, so they were more than happy to lock me in with you. Two birds with one stone, and all that." Chizuru became unpleasantly aware that there was only one futon in the room, and the corner of Arikado's mouth tugged slightly up again. "Don't worry. I didn't sleep."

Chizuru wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad thing, since that meant Arikado had basically been watching her sleep all night. She opened her mouth to remark that he looked extraordinarily well-rested, but the door slid open before she could, and a girl stepped into the room.

Judging by her expensive-looking attire, this must be the princess Arikado had mentioned. Chizuru wasn't sure what she had expected, but a single girl her own age was certainly not it. She had a regal kind of beauty that Chizuru lacked, but there was a warmth about her features and a vivacity about her mannerisms that inspired some intangible relief. They had never met before, but her aura was strangely, comfortingly familiar.

The princess took one look at Chizuru and then turned to Arikado with an almost fierce expression. "Arikado," she said reproachfully, her informal tone the proof of her rank. Her voice was high and carried a strength Chizuru couldn't place, but its edges were soft enough that she was not intimidated. "You've gone and frightened the poor thing."

"Have I?" asked Arikado, glancing at Chizuru, who did not dare nod. "Yes, I suppose I have. Rest assured that I had no intention of doing so."

"Yes, well," said the princess, giving a perfectly ladylike bow before looking straight at Chizuru. "I apologize for your treatment on his behalf. Please, call me Sen."

"Sen-hime," said Chizuru uncertainly, bowing as well. "It's an—"

Sen cut her off with a shake of her head, and took a swift step forward to deter Chizuru from bowing any lower. "Come now. We're the same age, and all things considered, a title is only a title. I should like to have a friend rather more than another subject."

"O-Osen… chan?" faltered Chizuru, blinking a few times. It seemed wrong to address a princess as an equal, but she couldn't very well refuse an order.

"That's better," said Sen, giving a small but brilliant smile. "Do you mind if I call you Chizuru-chan?"

Chizuru shook her head mutely, shooting a sideways glance at the stony-faced Arikado. One or more of them must have gone through her things and found her name on the letters she'd brought. "Th-thank you for your hospitality and kindness, Osen-chan. I am in your debt."

Sen shook her head again, her expression becoming more solemn. "You owe me nothing. As a matter of fact, I'm grateful to have met you, although I am terribly sorry that it took such an unfortunate twist of fate for you to find your way to Yase."

The way she spoke made it sound like their meeting was preordained, and Chizuru's head spun with sudden misgivings. "I—I'm sorry, but is there a reason I was brought here?" asked Chizuru, looking between Sen and Arikado as humbly as she could. "I was only told this is a safe place to stay. I've never heard of this village, or anyone in it."

"Did you really neglect to inform her of the nature of this place?" demanded Sen of Arikado, her tone taking a turn for the harsh again.

Chizuru tensed, but Sen's clear displeasure seemed to have no noticeable effect on Arikado. "I delivered a full report, from our meeting to our arrival, just as you requested. Had I said anything more, I would have told you."

Sen sighed. "Then I shall have to begin at the beginning," she said, seating herself on a cushion, and gestured for Chizuru and Arikado to do the same. They obeyed as one, and Chizuru felt a thrill of foreboding as the atmosphere seemed to cool a few degrees. "Do you believe in demons, Chizuru-chan?"

Again, Chizuru's unthought expectations of how this conversation might go were turned on their heads. She stared at Sen incredulously, but judging by the intensity of her gaze, it appeared to be a serious question. Ordinarily, Chizuru would have been quick to deny it, but after witnessing those murders last night, she couldn't help but second-guess herself. "No?"

Sen nodded, unsurprised. "Most humans believe that they invented them long ago for the sake of their folklore, but demons are real. Even today, clans of them still live here and there, often isolated from human affairs for the safety of all. Most top officials in the shogunate, and in many of the domains, know this." She peered at Chizuru closely. "It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Like a modern-day folktale. But I assure you, it is true."

Chizuru glanced over at Arikado. "Were those the things that…"

Arikado's expression soured. "No."

Sen's countenance, too, appeared to have darkened. "Accounts of their true nature differ, but they are most definitely not my kin."

Chizuru's blood ran cold. That meant… " _Y-you're_ a demon, Osen-chan?"

Sen smiled, a little sadly. "Are you afraid?"

"N-no," said Chizuru, and to her own surprise, that much was the truth. Maybe it was only because Sen's expression was so human in the moment, or maybe it was because she had experienced much more of a fright just within the last twelve hours, but she was already beginning to calm down after the initial shock. "Just… surprised. You don't look anything like the paintings."

"I'm glad of that," said Sen, giggling. "Humans have portrayed us in a very unflattering light over the centuries, in more senses than simply making us the villains of their stories. But I digress." She sobered again, waving a hand. "The history of demons is a very long one, and not one I think you are prepared to hear. However, there is one event that will prove crucial to understanding your situation."

"Yes?"

"Although demons and humans have lived separately for centuries, humans have always sought the demons' power for their own ends," said Sen. "The demon clan ruling the east was destroyed a little over ten years ago, defying the humans of the shogunate who wished to use them as weapons in their latest campaign."

"That's horrible," mumbled Chizuru, vividly recalling her recurring nightmares of her hometown ablaze. For that to be someone's reality…

"The village was razed, and there were thought to be no survivors," said Sen, as though quoting from Chizuru's dreams. "There were rumors that one scion survived and was adopted by the Nagumo clan, but apart from that, there has been no news since the tragedy took place. But last night, the other scion of the Yukimura clan was found."

_Yukimura_? Chizuru's heart stopped. "You don't mean…"

"Yes, Chizuru-chan," said Sen gently. "You, too, are a demon. In addition to your surname, your sword has been passed down through your clan for time untold." She gestured to the kodachi resting some distance behind her. "Please believe me; you ought to sense the truth. I saw something like recognition in your eyes, when I entered, although we had never seen one another before. And you weren't afraid when I said I was a demon."

"That's…" managed Chizuru, struggling to find the right words to refute her claims. It was true that she had experienced a feeling similar to relief as soon as Sen had walked in, and that it seemed as though they were already acquainted somehow, but she had attributed it to Sen's down-to-earth air and friendly manner. "This can't be. My father raised me in Edo!"

"Your father must be aware of who and what you are," said Arikado, an incomprehensible weight to his words. "Given the fate of your clan, he almost certainly raised you as a human to keep you safe."

"But I am certain that he could not hide everything from you," said Sen, looking at Chizuru with an expression similar to curiosity, although doubtless she already knew all the answers. "Your injuries heal very quickly by human standards, do they not?"

Chizuru felt faint, unable to bring herself either to confirm or deny it. Her every rational thought clamored to reject Sen's assertions and defy her leading questions, but Arikado made a good point, and something still calm inside her heart knew she spoke the truth. It lingered in the memory of flames and ashes, and in the occasional faraway look in her father's eyes. "I…"

"There are ways of finding out, you know," said Arikado, raising his eyebrows.

" _Arikado_ ," snapped Sen, her soothing tone sharpening in an instant, and Chizuru almost flinched. Oddly, that flash of fear served to convince her, more than anything else. If mild-mannered Sen could act like this, then perhaps she really was a demon, and perhaps Chizuru could be too. "You will behave yourself while in my house, or you will experience any pain you inflict on Chizuru-chan tenfold. Don't think I trust you simply because we have chosen to work together."

Arikado sighed. "You know it is in both our best interests to cooperate at present. Starting an argument now will not help either of our causes."

Chizuru found herself grateful that their attention had been drawn away from her, and cleared her throat weakly in an effort to change the subject. "Where are you from if not Yase, Arikado-san?" Even if he seemed to know about demons and had joked about being a ghost, Sen and her people were evidently wary of him. What had he done to merit their distrust?

"Arikado is an outsider who has told me precious little of his own background," said Sen haughtily, when Arikado gave no sign of responding. "I believe I know more about you than I do him, Chizuru-chan." Although there was some humor in her words, it was soon overtaken by a sigh, as if something weighed heavily on her mind. "But there is one thing more I must ask. Is your purpose in Kyoto truly to look for Yukimura Kodo?"

"Yes," said Chizuru, a strange sense of dread creeping up her spine. If she was allegedly a demon, what about her father? Had the shogunate really been responsible for killing their people? What if he had gotten caught in the same conflict that had wiped out the Yukimura village? "Father went missing about a month ago. Have you heard anything about him?"

Sen looked troubled. "I know of his work for the shogunate, but unfortunately, I know little of his current whereabouts or activities. That said, my sources indicate that he is most likely alive." Chizuru weakened suddenly in relief. Even hearing the possibility said aloud was more comforting than she thought, and all the trepidation she had felt mere moments before seemed to melt away.

"Hopefully, you needn't worry for long," continued Sen. "My information network is extensive enough that word of Kodo-san is bound to come back sooner or later. If you wish, you may stay in Yase until it does." She glanced sideways at Arikado. "However, if you find sitting and waiting too difficult, I believe Arikado intends to go in more active search of him."

Even before Sen finished speaking, Arikado shook his head. "My work is too dangerous for Yukimura to be of any assistance. Her rate of healing is an advantage, but she only knows some self-defense. Until and unless you have her trained in combat more thoroughly, I cannot allow her to accompany me."

Chizuru's heart quickened. If going in search of her father was really that dangerous, she must have been right to worry about him. She cleared her throat. "A-are you really looking for my father, Arikado-san?" That might explain his reaction when she had mentioned him.

"In a manner of speaking," said Arikado evasively, tossing a resentful look in Sen's direction before turning to Chizuru again. "But I believe the princess and I have given you more than enough to contemplate without taking our individual circumstances into account. You have had little enough time to adjust to your own truth without our goals complicating matters."

"Much as it pains me to admit it, I agree," said Sen, getting demurely to her feet. "Please, Chizuru-chan, take some time to consider what you wish to know and what you want to do. No matter what you decide, the gates of Yase will always be open to you." She looked at Arikado. "You and I still have much to discuss, Arikado. Come to the audience hall at your convenience."

Arikado dipped his head, looking resigned, and rose as well. "Just remember, Yukimura," he said, gazing down at Chizuru as Sen gave a last nod and took her leave, "you're much safer in Yase than in Kyoto, so I'd advise you not to run away. Ask someone to find the princess whenever you're ready to talk."

"What about you?" asked Chizuru, meeting his eyes with some difficulty.

"I'd imagine I will be long gone. Assuming this audience does not turn into a trial, of course."

Chizuru nodded hesitantly, and Arikado turned to leave. However, as he approached the door without so much as a backwards glance, Chizuru realized with a jolt that in the maelstrom of all these new thoughts and ideas, she'd forgotten something important. Again.

"Um, Arikado-san?"

He paused at the door, like a lingering shadow, and glanced over his shoulder.

"Thank you."

Arikado narrowed his eyes, as though suspicious of or unaccustomed to gratitude, but then nodded shortly in response and departed. Only after the door slid shut did Chizuru realize that, overwhelmed with new information and older memories, she was about to cry.


End file.
